Typewriting machine



Nov. 15, 1927.

E. G. ROWLEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed NOV. 50, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Niw. 3,1927. V 1' 1,649,325

' E. G. BOWLEY 7 TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Nov.- 30. 1923 shgets sheet 2Nov; I5, 1927.

E. G. ROWLEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1923 4- Sheets-Sheet 3 Ihue/77W":

Affa/ 2 Nov; 15, 1927.

E. G. ROWLEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed NOV. 1923 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES EDWARD G. ROWLEY, OF BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TOUNDERWOOD PATENT OFFICE.

.TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

myrnwnrrme MACHINE.

Application filed November 30, 1923. Serial No. 677,859.

This invention relates to typewriting machines, in which it has beenproposed to mount on the case-shift frame the ribbon-vibrator and meansfor varying the means of 5 the ribbon-vibrator for printiil in differentcolors or for stenciling, an such varying means by a finger-piece, atthe front of the machine, mounted on a stationary part of the machineand having an operative connection with such varying means irrespectiveof the position of the case-shift frame. Mechanism of this character isemployed in the Underwood portable typewriter, uponwhich the presentimprovements are based.

A feature of the present invention consists in the provision of improvedribbon-vibrator-controlling means including a fingerpiece mounted on thecase-shift frame and preferably positioned at the front thereof, to

- shift therewith,'for so controlling the ribbon-vibrator as todetermine the color of the typing or to render the ribbon-vibratorineffective when a stencil is to be prepared.

As herein illustrated, each of the usual character key-levers, upondepression, acts through suitable means, such as a tongue thereon, torock a universal bar, and thereby swing forwardly at the rear of themachine an arm for actuating theescapementmechanism, In its forwardmovement this arm engages and rocks a bell-crank to shift to the left alink. connected to atog le having at one end a fixed pivot and pivotedat the other end to a lever for actuating a ribbonvibrator on thecase-shift frame. The actuating lever for the ribbon-vibrator has nofixed fulcrum, and theaetion on the ribbonvibrator actuating lever isdetermined by means of a member rockableto extreme positions to causeprojections at the opposite ends thereof to enter into either one of twoopenings in the ribbon-vibrator. actuating lever to vary the effect ofthe toggle, or to I an intermediate position to permit idle actuation ofsaid lever. Heretofore the controlling memberhas been actuated by afinger-- piece mounted on a fixed part of the machine. According to thepreferred form of the present invention the controlling mem? herisprovidedv with a forwardly-extendinlg arm so shaped astoavoidinterference wit to actuate its forward end with a fin er-pieceadjacent the front of one of the rib on-spool cups on which are colorindications to assist in prop- I erly positioning the finger-piece. Itwill be seen that the improved machine 1s efficient in action, and thatthe novel parts are simple in form, economical to manufacture, andconduce to-compact arrangement in the machine.

. Other features and "advantages will here- I inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

. Figure 1' is a diagrammatic side elevation, partly in section,illustrating the invention as applied to-an Underwood portable machine.

-Figure 2 is a detail view, partly in section, showing the mounting ofthe controller for the ribbon-vibrator-actuator means.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of so-much of the machine as is necessaryfor the purpose of illustration. Figure .4 is a fragmentary frontelevation.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in section,-showing the centralstiffening member and its connection with other parts of the machine.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation, showing the line-lock ormeans for locking the keys when the carriage is checked by the leftmargin-stop.

Figure 7 is a detail front elevation, showing the means for selectivelycontrolling the actuation ofthe ribbon-vibrator and the connection bywhich the silent key operates the ribbon-vibrator.

- Figure 8 is a top plan View of the device for selectively controllingthe movement of the ribbon-vibrator.

Fi ure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation, showing a deta'il'of theback-spacer mech anism. v

In the machine herein illustrated, t pekeys 11 are mounted on theforward en s of key-levers 12, having notched rear'ends engaging thelower edge of a vertical flange 13 of a transverse member 14, preferably1n the form of an angle bar; the vertical flange 13 serving as a fulcrumfor said key-levers and ha'vin notches in its lower edge to maintain t eproper spacing between the key-levers. The key-levers 12 may also beguided by a comb 15 at the front of. the machine. At its ends, thetransverse member may be attached to frames 16 secured by suitablefastening means, such as screws 17, to a main frame.

The key-levers 12 are provided with downwardly-extending fingers 18 fromwhich studs 19 project into slots 20 in forwardlyextending arms ofbell-cranks 21 pivoted on a transverse member 22 also secured to saidframes 16. Upon depression of a type-key 11 the corresponding bell-crank21 acts through a link 23 to swing a type-bar 24 about its pivot 25 in atype-segment 26 also attached to the frames 16 to cause types 27 tostrike against a platen 28 rotatably mounted in a letter-feedingcarriage 29. Preferably the bell-cranks 21 are pivoted on a wire or rod30, and the pivot 25 is a wire or rod on which all of the type-bars aremounted. The type-action herein described may be similar to thatdisclosed in the co-pending f iaqpplication of William A. Dobson,Serial;

0. 639,068, filed May 15,1923 (now Patent No. 1,564, 329, dated December8,1925).

The carriage 29 is supported for movement transversely of the machine bymeans of a rear rail 31 on which runs a-roller 32, pivoted on thecarriage, and a front rail 33 between which and the carriageareinterposed rolls 34 and 35. Said rails 31 and 33 form part of acase-shift.frame 36 which is guided in its upward and downward movementsby two sets of arms 37 and 38. The rear ends of said arms 37 are pivotedon standards 39 projecting upwardly from said frames 16,

v and the forward endsof these arms are converse member 14.

To shift the case-shift frame upwardly vfrom its normal position,provision may be made at each side of the machine of a shiftkey 47 on alever 48 mounted at an intermediate point onv a pivot 49 carried by -abracket 50 on the adjacent frame 16 andhaving at its rear end-a lateralrojection 51.

underlying the forward end v,o the adjacent arm 38. i

At each de ssion of a type-key 11 a tongue 52' on t e correspondingkey-lever 12 depresses a universal bar 53 against the action of one ormore springs 54. This bar 53 is moanted, on forwardly-extending arms Q55of bell-cranks 56 fixed on a shaft 57 jour- 'naled in the frames 16.Fixed on the shaft the 57 is an arm 58 which actuates a dog-rocker 59 ofan escapement mechanism, whichmay be similar to that disclosed in thepatent to G. W. Campbell, No. 1,332,972, dated March '9, 1920, andcauses a step-by-step movement of the carriage 29 in the letter-feedingdirection.

For back-spacing the carriage provision may be made of a back-space key60 on a lever 61. fulcrumed on the flange 13 in the:

same manner as the key-levers 12 and guided at its forward end by thecomb 15. Preferably the back-space lever 61 is rovided near its frontend with adepending nger 62 from which a stud 63 projects through a slotin the forward end of an intermediate lever 64 movable about a piv0t'65in a bracket 66 attached to the cross-member 22. Upon depression of thekey 60'the rear end of the lever 64 rocks a bell-crank 67 about a pivot68 in abracket 69 on the cross-member 14, to actuate a link 70 andeffect back-spacing by means which may be similar to-the mechanismdisclosed in the patent to Lee S. Burridge, No. 1,297,085ydated March11, 1919.

To give greater rigidity to the machine, provision may be made of agirder 71 for the same general purpose s the girder disclosed in thepatent to Lee S. Burridge, No.

1,322,530, dated November 25, 1919. The

secured to the main frame, as by screws 72 girder'71-is centrallylocatedand is suitably passing through the frame and threaded into lugs73 on arms 74 at the rear end of the girder and 'assing on oppositesides of the shaft 43. e girder 71 passes through a notch in the flange13 and at its lower edge is provided with a curved finger or book 75 toreceive the shaft 57. The girder 71 is attached to the type-bar segment26 by an angle member or plate 76, of which one flange is secured bysuitable means. such as 1 screws 77, to the segment, and the otherflangeis secured to lugs 78 offset in opposite directions from the 'rder, bysuitable means, such as screws 79. e girder 71 is also provided with adepending finger 80 having a slot through which the rod 30 passes, andthe extreme forward end of the girder extends beneath a t bar rest 80and engages the same; i It wi I be evident that the girder 71. issoconnected with various parts as to prevent relative displacementthereof. I

Except when-stenciling is to be effected, each depression of acharacterrkey 11 causes a ty 'ewriter ribbon 81 to be moved fr'om'an ineective position to an effective position at 1printing point,'and.when,asillustrated mt e present case, I in ,for example. a black field 82 anda red fie d 83"is used-the movement of the ribbon is varied to presentthefiesired color field at the printing point. For this purpose, theribb0n'81 is threaded through eyes in the arms of a U-shapedribbon-vibrator or cara'--.bichrome ribbon havprising also a lower arm97 connected at its rier 84 mounted for up-and-down movement on a guide85 secured by suitable means, such as screws 86, to a vertical bar 87,which may be unitary with the front rail. The lower part of theribbon-vibrator is at the front of the guide 85, but theupwardly-extending arms 88 of the vibrator lie to the rear of arms 89offset forwardly at the upper part of the guide, and are guided thereonby means of lugs 90 extending from the arms 88 of the vibrator 84 aroundthe inner edges of the arms 89 of the guide. At its lower end, thevibrator 84 is guided for vertical movement by means of a stud 91projecting from the vibrator into a vertical slot 92 in the guide 85.

The stud 91 also serves to connect the vibrator 84 with an actuatinglever 93 connected at an intermediate point by a pivot 94 to an upperarm 95 of a toggle 96. comupper end by a pivot 98 to the arm 95, and

. connected by means of a'link 99 to one arm of a bell-crank 100 movableabout a vertical made of a bracket 109 secured to one side of thecharacter-key pivot 101 on a bracket 102 fixedon the trans-' versemember 14. The other arm of the bellcrank is in the path of the arm 58and will be actuated thereby, againstthe resistance of a spring 103,upon each depression The lever 93 has no fixed fulcrum, but

I preferably is provided with two openings 104 and 105 spacedlongitudinally thereof. and, by rocking a suitably shaped member 106 toinsert the rightend 107 thereof into the opening 105 to the right, themovement of the ribbon-vibrator will be such as to place the black field82 at the printing point, and, upon moving the left end 108 of themember 106 into the left opening 104, thered field will be madeeffective. It will be seen that if the rocking member 106 is in itsintermediate position the lever 93 will be moved of the case-shiftvframe 36 by suitablemeans, such as screws 110, passing throughoppositely-extending lugs 1,111;- and' threaded into the side of thecase-shift 'frame. Secured to the bracket 109 by suitable'mea'ns, suchas screws 112, is a secondary bracket 113 having a horizontal flange 114on which the member 106 is pivoted by means of a shouldered screw 115.The bracket is also provided with an inwardly and downwardly extendingarm 116 carrying a pivot 11 for the lower end of the arm 97 of thetoggle.

' In said application, Serial No. 669,447, the rocking member forvarying the. actuation of the ribbon-vibrator is controlled by means ofa. finger-piece mounted on the fixed frame and having such connectionswith the rocking member as to be effective thereon irrespective Jot thecase-shift position of the case-shift frame. I According to the presentinvention, a finger-piece 118 for controlling the member 106 is mpuntedon the shift frame, and preferably such mounting is effected by means ofan arm 119 properly shaped to avoid interference with other parts andprojecting-from the member 106' to the front of the frame 36, where itis provided with an upward extension 120 to sup port the finger-piece118, provision being made of red and black color indications, 121 and122 respectively, on an adjacent ribbonspool cup 123 preferably at theright of the case-shift frame 36. The color indications 121 and 122 arespaced apart, and the ribbonvibrator may be causedto present eithercolor field at the printing point in accordance with the colorindicatiorfopposite which the finger-piece is set, or theribbon-vibrator may be silenced b setting the finger-piece opposite a'white eld 124 between the color indications 121and-122.

Preferably. the finger-piece 118 is yieldablyjdetained in one of itssettings by means of a pin 125*projecting upwardly from the arm 119"andhaving its upper end shaped to 123 mounted at opposite sides of theshiftframe on brackets 129 and 130. In eachof said cups 123 is aribbon-spool 131 mounted to rotate with a fine-toothed ratchet-wheel 132by means of an eccentric pin 133 projecting from the ratchet-wheel intoa corresponding opening in the spool, the spool being preferabl retainedin position on said ratchetwhee "by a SCIGYV 134 threaded into a centralspindle 135 fixed to said ratchet-wheeljand mounted in a frame orbracket 136 attached to the adjacent side of the case-shift framemmediately beneath each ratchet-wheel 132 is an arm 137 mounted to turnabout the axis of said spindle 135, and having an actuating pawl 138connected thereto by a pivot 139 and'urged intoengagement with theratchet-wheel by means of a spring 140, the ratchet-wheel also beingengaged by a detent pawl 141 pivoted on the lower side of the adjacentbracket 130 and urged against the ratchet-wheel preferably by means. ofa spring, not shown. To actuate the arm 137, provision maybe made of apin 142 projecting.downwardly therefrom and into a slot 143 in a lateralprojection at the upper end of a lever 144mounted on a pivot 145 on theinner side of the bracket or frame 136 and connected at its lower end bya link 146to an upright arm 147 of the adjacent bell-crank 56.

It will be seen that each spool-actuating device tends to draw theribbon from the other, and it is necessary, therefore, to

render one of said devices inefiective when the other is effective. Tothis end, provision may be made for each of said devices of a plate 148rotatable about the axis of the spindle 135 and having two cam portions149 and 150 to throw ofl the pawls associated with the adjacentratchet-Wheel, and a recess 151 between said cam portions to permit thedetent pawl 14-1 to engage the ratchet-wheel when the actuating pawl 138is efiective.

The plate is also provided with a forWardly-. extendin arm 152 tocontrol the positionof the plate 148: The ribbon-feeding mechanism justdescribed is in many respects similar to that disclosed in the patent toLee S.

Burridge, No. 1,249,022, filed December 4, 1917, in which theforwardly-extending arms are connected by a linkto render the drivingand detent pawls for one spool ineffectivewhen those of the other spoolare efiective.

According'to the present invention, how ever, the connection between thecam plates ,148 is made at the rear of the cups 123. For this purposeprovision may be made at each end of the machine of a lever 153 pivotedto turn about the axis of the spindle 135 and resting on the lowerhorizontal part of the bracket 136. The lever may be connected .with thecam-plate 148 by means of a pin 154 extending downwardly from the arm152' of the cam-plate into an opening in the forward end of the lever153, the lovers 153 at the opposite sides of the machine being connectedat their rear ends by means of a link 155. For convenience in shiftingthe cam-plates. 148, one of .the levers- 153, preferably that at theleft, is. extended forwardly and then upwardly to the front of the leftspool cup 123, and is provided at its upper end with a suitablefinger-piece 156 immediately at the front of the. cup. To detain thefingerpiece156 in either position in which it may be set, provision maybe made of a pin 157 extending downwardly from the left-hand lever 153to engage in one of two depressions 15 8 in a plate 159 secured to thebottom of the adjacent bracket 136. Obviously the arrangement just de--v1sion may be made of a margin-stop 160 suitably positioned at a desiredletter-space position on a rack-bar or margin-stop bar 161 slidablymounted by pin-and-slot connections 162'onbrackets 163 secured-to theback wall 164 of the case-shift frame 36. Mounted on the inner face ofsaid back wall 164 is a" horizontal bar 165 preferably guided, at itsleft end, by means of a stud 166 fixed in the-back wall, andextendingthrough a slot 167 in the bar, and, at its right end, by meansof an arm 168 extending through an opening-in the back wall to a pointadjacent the right end of the margin stop bar-and connected therewith bymeans of a pivot 169. The bar 165 is also provided with an arm 170extending forwardly and downwardly, and bothnbars, 161 and 165, areurged to the right by means of a spring 171 connected to said arm and toa pin 172 on said rear wall. The margin-stop 160 is provided with a lug173 to be engaged by one end of a lever 174 mounted on a pivot 17 5 onthe rear of the carriage 29, and pro-- videdat its other end with afinger-pieee 176 to shift the margin-stop-engaging end to ineflectiveposition when desired.

- The portion of the key-locking mechanism, I

just described,,is in general similar to that disclosed in the patent toG. W. Campbell, No. 1,407,982, dated February'28, 1922. In thls patentthe locking of the keys is illustrated as effected by moving anobstructing member into the path of theuniversal bar to which theesc'apement mechanism is actuated. According to the present invention,however, the locking of the character-keys is, effected by means of abar or member 177 slidabl mounted on the transverse member 14', pre

extending through slots 179 in the bar and erably by means of shoulderedscrews 178 threaded into said transverse, member. Said bar 177 isnormally held in its extreme right position b means of a spring 180attached at. one en to a fixed part of the machine, and at the other endto the bar adjacent the left end thereof which normally lies immediatelyto the right of the path of the arm 58 through which the escapementmechanism is actuated. At the right the bar. 177 is provided with an arm181, of which the end lies in the path of the arm 170., and uponmovement of the marginrstop bar 161 to the left the left end of .the bar17 7 will be moved into the path of the arm 58 to prevent the actuationof the universal bar 53 and consequently to' lock the character-keys 11.Release of the keys 11, when desired, may be effected by depressing thefinger-piece 176. i

In order that marks, such as accents, may

187 also comprises an upwardly and for-- silent key 182, or one whichmay be operated without causing a this'end' provision'may be made of alink 184 connecting the upright arm of a bell;

crank- 185, for actuating the accent typebar, with an arm 186 of abell-crank 187 pivoted, preferably by means of a shouldered screw 188,in a horizontal flange 189 extend ing rearwardly from the lower edge ofthe arm 116 of the bracket 109. The bell-crank wardly extending arm-190, of which the end engages the toggle 96 at such a point that uponactuation of the silent key 182 the toggle 96 will be shifted from'itsFigure 4 position to its Figure 7 position, thereby.

actuating'the ribbon-vibrator 84 1n accordance with the setting of thefinger-piece 118'. Variations may be resorted to within the scope of theinvention, and portions of the improvements ma. be used without others.Having thus escribed my invention, I

j claim:

1. In a t pewriting machine, the combination of a pl to case-shiftpositions, a bichrome ribboncarrier on the shift frame, aribbon-vibrator pivoted at one end to the ribbon-carrier, a bracketsecured to the shift frame to support the opposite end of theribbon-vibrator, means mounted uponthe bracket and 'en gageable with theribbon-vibrator at different positions of its len h to determine thethrow of the carrier rom a normal position, a toggle also mounted uponsaid bracket and connectible to the ribbon-carrier, a bell-crankmounted'u on a stationary part of the machine, a link connecting thebellcrank and operable to straighten the toggle, and ke actuated meansoperative to vibrate the bel -crank bon zone to the typing position.

' 2. In a typewriting machine, in combination, aplaten,'aribbon-wibrator actuator ineluding a lever, an--' actuatingtoggle connected at one end to said lever, a bracketon which the. otherend of the tog le is pivoted, a device mounted on said brac etfor varyinthe fulcrum of said lever to vary the co or of the t ping, anda leverpivoted on said bracket or operating said toggle.

3. In a typewritmg machine,'in combination, a platen, esca'pementmechanism, a ribbon-vibrator actuator including a lever, an

letter-feeding step of the carriage 29. The silent key I 182 may be atenand a platen-frame shiftablebracket andconnectible to effecttheshifting. of a rib-' end to said lever,,a bracket, on which themounted on said bracketfor varying the fulcrum of said lever to'vary thecolor of escapement-actuated toggle'connected at one other end of thetoggle is'pivoted, a device the-typing, and a lever: pivoted on saidbracket for operating said toggle.

4. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen,acarriage'therefor, a case-shift frame on the rear of which saidcarriage travels, ribbon-spool cups on said case-shift frame at thefront and opposite sides thereof, a ribbon-vibrator on said'case-shift'frame, and means to vary the action of said ribbonvibrator,comprising-a member swingable about a vertical axis to cause one or theother of the color fields of a bichrome ribbon to be presented at theprinting point or to an intermediate neutral position, an arm supportedb said member and extending forwardlyeneath one of said cups, and afinger-piece extending upwardly from said. armto the front of. the cup,so that, when in neutralfposition, it will lie substantially in a planepassing through said vertical axis and the axis'of the cup.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination ofa platen, aribbon-vibrator-actuator including a lever,

nected. at one end to said lever, a bra eton 6. In a t pewritingmach1ne,'the combina-- an actuating tog le con 5 which the other end ofthe toggle is pivoted, a device mounted on said brac st to vary the tionof a p aten-andaplaten-frame shiftable to. case-shift positions, -ajlaiclirome' ribboncarrier on the shift frame, aribbon-vibratorleverpivoted at one end to the ribbon-carrier, a bracket secured to thecarrier, a bell-or '11]; mounted upon a stationary art of gthemachme,the the toggle, and afkey-actuated universal bar including an armoperative to vibrate the bell-crank to effect a ribbon-shifting movementwithout limiting the throw'thereof.-

to v the vibratora link connecting ll-c'riink .and operable tostraighten shiftframe to sup Y ort the opposite end of theribbon-vibrator-' n the bracket and a normal 7. In a typewritingmachine,- the combination of a to case-s ift mounted upon tvibrator-lever carried b and connected to said ri aten and aplaten-frame shiftable h ositions', a ribbon-carrier e case-shift frame,a ribbonthe case-shift frame hon-carrier, a toggle on the shift frameand connected to the v1- brator lever, and a pivot carrier movable withthe shift frame and swmgableat right for a. in'anualcontrol inswingingthe pivots angles to the plane of the vibrator lever andincluding spaced-off pivots engageable with said lever at difierentpositions of its length to predetermine the typing zone of the ribbonpresented to the'printmg position.

1 8. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen and aplaten-frame'shiftable to case-shift positions, a ribbon-carrier mountedupon. the case-shift frame, a ribbonvibrator-lever carried by thecase-shift frame and connected to said ribbon-carrier, a-toggle on theshift-frame andoonnected to the viinto engagement with the vibrator.-lever. '9. In atypewriting machine, the combination of a platenincluding a ribbon-carrier and a ribbon-vibrator levena bracketsupporting one end of said vibrator lever, n1eans mounted upon thebracket for varying the fulcrum of said leverto vary the color zone ofthe ribbon in typing, a key-actuated universal bar operable to vibratethe ribbonvibrator-lever, and a lever pivoted onsaid bracket to vibratethe ribbon independently ofthe universal bar for typing in either colorzone.

10. In a typewriting machine, the comtination of a platen, aribbon-carrier, a

ribbon-vibrator-lever, means for printing an accent-mark, a bracketsupporting one end of said vibrator lever, means mounted upon thebracket for varying the fulcrum of said lever to vary the color zone ofthe ribbon in typing, a key-actuated universal bar operable to vibratethe ribbon-vibrator-1ever, a lever pivoted on said bracketto vibrate theribbon independently of the universal bar for typing in either colorzone, and a key operatively connected to said last-mentioned lever, thedepression of said. key being effective to operate said printing meanswithout actuating said universal bar.

EDWARD o. RoWLE

